Associate Director, Associate Director, Packaging Component Engineering

Job Description

We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company. At our company, we are at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. 

We are seeking an Associate Director for our Packaging Component Engineering team within Packaging Technology Operations (PTO) at our Wilson, NC human health packaging site who will play a pivotal role in our mission to save and improve lives around the world. This position serves as the primary leadership position overseeing all personnel and leadership support within this area.

The Associate Director of Packaging Component Engineering will be responsible for supporting packaging and component engineering capabilities for the Wilson site focused on effective component life cycle management, related quality investigations, lines projects, and packaging continuous improvement projects. Responsible for process performance support and troubleshooting products packaged at our Wilson location and working closely with other site and above-site groups for the introduction of new products, network transfers and processes as well as external suppliers, packaging commercialization, and global support functions.

This position will report to the Director of Packaging Technology Operations and will have frequent interaction with other business units at the site as well as external suppliers, packaging commercialization, and global support functions.  The team will also support other engineering activities at the site as well as quality risk management.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the packaging component engineering function in supporting Wilson site operations, new product introductions, technology transfers, and long-term technical readiness.

• Set direction for packaging component strategy, supplier technical oversight, and cross-functional execution across site and global teams.

• Drive strategic platform standards for packaging images resulting from new critical technologies introduction and/or marketing requirements

• Guide design transfer, new component development, vendor qualification, and product launch readiness.

• Author, review and approve component specifications, technical assessments, validation packages, and supplemental regulatory documentation.

• Establish priorities to improve packaging productivity, component robustness, and lifecycle management.

• Oversee quality, regulatory, and compliance activities, including investigations, inspections, technical documentation, and change control as related to packaging systems.

• Direct troubleshooting and resolution of packaging line and component-related issues to ensure reliable manufacturing performance.

• Lead root cause investigations, corrective/preventive action plans, product impact assessments, and supplier/customer complaint resolution.

• Provide component engineering support for capital projects, including the evaluation of packaging technologies and the execution of equipment design reviews, purchase specifications, FATs, and IQ/OQ/PQ.

• Own component-related change management, impact assessments, and workflow governance using relevant systems and tools.

• Partner with Procurement, Supplier Management, Manufacturing, Quality, and Global Technical Operations to ensure supplier performance and technical alignment for common packaging platforms.

• Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of engineers to support business and site objectives.

• Promote a culture of safety, quality, regulatory compliance, accountability, and continuous improvement across the organization.

Education Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in science (Packaging Science/Engineering preferred) and a minimum ten years of experience in packaging operations, pharmaceutical unit operations, or process design OR a Master’s degree in science or equivalent and a minimum eight years of experience OR a Ph.D. and a minimum five years of experience

Experience and Skills

Required

• Comprehensive background in packaging process and components

• Experience working in GMP environment

• Demonstrated leadership and teamwork skills

• Effective analytical and decision-making ability

• Effective written and verbal communication ability

• Knowledge of formal problem-solving techniques such as root cause analysis and Lean Six Sigma.

• Technical writing and document review experience (deviations, change requests, standard operating procedures, protocols, etc.).

Preferred

• Prior experience in supervisory/management capacity

Required Skills:

Engineering Standards, Manufacturing Process Improvements, Manufacturing Scale-Up, Materials Science, Packaging Engineering, Packaging Equipment, Packaging Innovation

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.  As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.  For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

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We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

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The salary range for this role is

$129,000.00 - $203,100.00

This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.

The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits.  Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully 
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company.  No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails. 

Employee Status:

Regular

Relocation:

Domestic

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

06/13/2026

*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.